Like I said in my tip, don't come in with any expectations…read more I'm one of those people who truly believe that your mindset will determine your experience. Yes, the base is extremely isolated, if you don't already know that then now you know. You either deal with what you have on post or you drive down the Fort Irwin Road speedway to get to where you need to go. We always opt for the latter. The schools on base are great! I can tell how much my children's teachers love teaching, especially if they're willing to make the drive out here. I've felt welcomed in their classrooms and on their campuses. The middle school sports program at Fort Irwin Middle school has been surprisingly competitive. My 6th grade daughter has played for both their volleyball and basketball team and we've loved making the drive out to watch them play at away games. The housing isn't the best we've lived in, but we've lucked out again with being placed in newer housing with less issues. I recommend for anyone PCSing over to make sure you video tape and photograph any discrepancies with your home and submit that with your list to housing. Also, invest in a ring doorbell. I haven't really had any issues with our food establishments, but then again we do more cooking at home and my kids are easy to please with the selection here. If I had to choose to eat out I'd go to Smoothie n Things and the bowling alley before anywhere else. Getting visitors on base is easy if you follow procedures. You can send in the visitor pass request early and your guests can do all the waiting at the gate without needing you to drive up to accompany them on. From what I understand they cannot clear backgrounds until they arrive, so they should expect a wait for their clearance. Want to not be a "lack for better and appropriate word" at the gate? Then dim your lights, roll down all driver's side windows, have your identification ready and be prepared to open your trunk if requested when entering the gate. Don't fight security procedures. Don't play Pokémon go? Well now's the time to start. You're either a gym rat or a Pokémon go geek. Join the darkside!

Wow ! Talk about the greatest time of my life. One month of excellent training. I was here in…read morebeautiful 114 degree weather and had delicious food in a bag . My favorite is the chicken chunks ! Yummmmm. I sun bathed so much and slept in rain it was an amazing experience. Join the army and come to this wonderful place. If you want a camping experience with no showers for a month , this is the place to be.

This place is just slightly better than the postal services when you're deployed. But it's still a…read moreUS Post Office. Take it for what is because it is what it is and it will always be what it is. The folks who work here, albeit being far from perfect (they are human) actually like working here so you actually get a smile. Come here early when it opens or right at the start of your lunch break. Or get away during duty hours to drop something off. There is always a line and it's long and slow

Thank you to Michael at the post office today for helping me with my packages! I was holding my…read morebaby, a large tote with items to mail off, and trying to tape up two large boxes. The original woman at the counter handed me the tape and told me to step aside until I was ready. Didn't offer to help or anything. Just get back in line when I'm ready. Not sure of her name, she was older with an accent. Thanks for nothing. Michael, you stepped up to the counter and offered when you clearly saw I had my hands full. I truly appreciate you taking the additional MINUTE to help me secure my items-which your fellow employee refused. Thank you again!!!

Didn't catch her name but the Hispanic woman at the front desk is the rudest most unprofessional…read morepostal worker I have ever had the pleasure of meeting just asking questions irritates her. she was short and had no patience. would rather drive to Barstow than to deal with an attitude at 8 AM.

Poor customer service. Employee morale at this post office always seems so low and reflects in…read moreemployee attitude towards its customers of mostly military members and their families. Perception is that Management seems to not care about the employees here or help with heavy workloads.

This place was such a nice free surprise off the side of the freeway on the drive from CA. to…read moreVegas! I learned a lot of history, saw some intriguing and inspiring sculptures, and actually learned a lot of new things I had no idea about or wouldn't think would be here. The whole park is funded by volunteers and educates people on the China Communist Party and the devastation communism provides. There were even parts along the fence with Chinese signs and notes about people who had been prisoners or died from communism. It will really send a chill down your spine. Take a nice walk along the park, read some signs, learn something new, and take in the beautiful (and tragic) sculpture art. Thank you for this park, funding it, and your desire to educate others and really better our world one viewer at a time.

Found Liberty Sculpture Park randomly on a visit in the area. And honestly, five stars for no…read moreadmission fee and being incredibly unexpected. It's a drive-through Sculpture Garden created by political refugees/protesters from China. The artists have nothing good to say about Communism, that's for sure, and also acknowledge the Civil Rights and Indigenous Rights movements in the USA. Many "establishment" museums and galleries would never give a spot to any of these artists, in my opinion....which is kind of ironic when you think about how many artists were revolutionary in their time. And what about the First Amendment? (Oh, congratulations Afroman by the way! We have to fight for our rights to create art in this country.) Anyway, thought-provoking stop if you're in the area. Great value....you can't beat free.

Though this site gives some amazing history about the pinnacles I would not have known otherwise,…read morethe road to get here is very long, very rocky and in some places questionable if I should cross them. It was extremely hot even though it's April. I didn't walk around as the temps too high. The highlights - you cross over where the salt has dried from the lake ( wash your car as soon as you can as salt bad for it!), the beautiful scenery of the pinnacles (obviously) but the mountains behind them, the history lesson, the train cars sitting on the tracks was kinda fun and interesting and best of all the Navy flying planes doing test runs. Loved that. So hard to believe so much of this was under water and that where these were created. It's other worldly with how alive our planet is and constantly changing. It's free to come here but be warned about deep sand, very rocky roads and the heat. Bring water and have plenty of gas in the tank. There's nothing around for quite a ways.

Out of this world! Free admission but make sure the roads are in good shape. I drove out in an SUV…read moreand some parts of the road were a little sketchy. Once you arrive at the Pinnacles, you can hike up really close to see them first-hand. The pinnacles were created out of tufa ("porous rock formed as a deposit when springs interact with other bodies of water" per Wikipedia), when the area was under a lake. If you visit in spring, you'll see some wildflowers as well. Very interesting spot and worth a stop on your way to Death Valley. Highly recommended!

I visited as a total tourist. It's a nice stop for a bathroom break. I walked in there, looked…read morearound and it literally looked like they didn't change much and I could see a scene from an old film being filmed here easily. It's almost eerie, like I could see and get the vibe from what events were held there. It's got to be haunted. Nothing spectacular but it's historically cool to visit and there's not much to do/see out in these parts.

This is a wonderful stop on a road trip to take a break and look around. Limited displays but great…read morehistorical information. It was fun to look at the spaces where the restaurant was and imagine what it was like when it was open. The location is still an Amtrak station. There is a NASA exhibit upstairs which describes a satellite location in the desert. Free admission.

My family and I can't be more happier since we adopted snowy a 10 year old senior. She's not only…read morebeautiful she's so gentle with our son, and best of all she loves to cuddle! We drove 2.5 hours to adopt her and now this young at heart senior is living her best life! Please adopt from the Apple Valley Shelter!

Apple Valley Shelter has built a reputation that shocks and disgusts animal lovers for a reason…read more The amount of allegations and heartbreaking stories coming out of this place involving both dogs and cats is beyond disturbing. Animals are reportedly being kept in filthy, stressful, and completely inhumane conditions while the people responsible for their care often come across as arrogant, cold, dismissive, and lacking even basic compassion. A shelter is supposed to be a safe place for abandoned and vulnerable animals. Instead, this facility is constantly associated with fear, neglect, unnecessary euthanasia, and suffering. Healthy and adoptable animals allegedly lose their lives while rescues and adopters are desperately trying to save them. That is not "animal care." It is a catastrophic failure of humanity and responsibility. The public is tired of excuses, tired of the lack of accountability, and tired of hearing story after story of animals being treated like they are disposable. Dogs and cats are living beings capable of fear, pain, love, and trust and they deserve dignity, proper care, clean conditions, and people who actually value their lives. This shelter either needs to be shut down!!! Or needs serious oversight, major reform, and better management/staff who understand compassion instead of treating concerned members of the public like an inconvenience. The animals trapped there deserve far better than this!!!